Denny Hamlin has driven in NASCAR for 20 years. With his first Xfinity Series race in 2004, there is no doubt that Hamlin is one of the most experienced drivers on the grid. Over the years, Hamlin has earned 54 victories, including 3 Daytona 500 victories in 2016, 2019 and 2020. However, he still has another feat to accomplish.
Despite being one of the most famous drivers in the sport, Denny Hamlin has yet to win a NASCAR Cup Series title. But it seems that Denny Hamlin still has a lot of work to do, as he is not only a driver, but also a NASCAR team owner. He doesn’t have much left to do in his career other than win championships, and with this year marking the end of his second decade in NASCAR, fans are wondering what’s next for him.
Denny Hamlin’s plans for post-NASCAR
Although he didn’t win a Cup Series championship, Denny Hamlin accomplished far more than most drivers in the history of the sport. Currently the 12th winningest driver on the grid, he is tied with Lee Petty, and after the crash at Richmond, he lost his chance to tie Rusty Wallace’s record.
After such a long career in the sport, it’s natural for fans to wonder what he’ll do after he retires from racing, and that’s exactly what The Athletic asked. During an interview with the NY Times, Hamlin was asked 12 questions about his time in NASCAR, and one of the questions that stood out was: What are his plans for the future? The interviewer asked Hamlin: “You talked about how, in 2020, you discovered the need to fill your time and you don’t like to relax.
That’s kind of the genesis of why you become a team owner. At some point, when you stop driving, you will still have the role of team owner and the role of parent, but now you will have a big gap with the role of driver. Do you have any idea what you do to fill this time? » In the last 4 years, Denny Hamlin had a change of heart because he said, “I think I’ll like that break.” “When he stops driving, he will still have a strong connection with NASCAR, as he explained:
“I just spend more time in the 23XI. I am already very involved in this company and the decisions it makes about competition, business, etc. » It is already known that Denny Hamlin is committed to building 23XI Racing with his partner, NBA legend Michael Jordan. Not only was he able to continue his racing career while managing a team, but he also helped grow the 23XI. Although Hamlin has spent countless hours working on his team, he explained: “But I want to be there more. There are probably at least two times a week now, along with every other meeting that he does virtually.
But it won’t be all business for Hamlin, as he has a new sport he wants to master, so let’s see what that would be like.
Hamlin wants to try golf
After explaining his work commitments, Hamlin opened up about his need to take a break. He’s already planning his retirement, revealing: “I’m going to work on my golf game. I want to be a beginner golfer one day.” In the interview, Hamlin was asked about the things on his bucket list. , and since he forgot to make a golfer, he said that he should be mentioned in this question. A lesser known fact about Denny Hamlin is that he is quite good at golf. He admits that he is only four or five shots from the start and spend more time to improve the sport. Speaking of a step towards personal development, he said he wants to improve in all areas outside of driving.
Hamlin admits that stepping away from NASCAR won’t make him lose his competitive spirit, which is why he’d like to continue competing in other sports while working on self-assigned projects to keep him busy. Whether it’s NASCAR or golf, Hamlin is a dedicated man who doesn’t believe in mediocrity, and who continues to help him reach new heights.
That said, do you think Denny Hamlin will be able to take 23XI Racing to new levels once he frees up time after retirement? Share your thoughts in the comments below.